Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases

If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.

Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of
suppliers.

Search by plant name

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Plants for Pollinators

Award of Garden Merit (recommended by RHS)

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

Nephrolepis exaltata

sword fern

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions

Available to buy

Of good constitution

Essentially stable in form & colour

Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases

RHS Plants for Pollinators plants

This plant will provide nectar and pollen for bees and the many other types of pollinating insects.

It is included in an evolving list of plants carefully researched and chosen by RHS experts. Divided into 3 groups these lists, linked below, are maintained by a team of RHS staff and are reviewed annually.

GenusNephrolepis are rhizomatous, sometimes stoloniferous, evergreen ferns with narrow, pinnately divided fronds, broader and more highly dissected in many cultivars

DetailsN. exaltata is an evergreen fern to 1m tall, forming a large clump of narrow, arching, ladder-like, pinnate light green fronds to 2m long, the pinnae narrowly oblong or sickle-shaped; often produces young plant on runners

H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)

H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)

H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)

H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)

H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)

H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

H1B

Colour

Sunlight

Partial Shade

Aspect West-facing or East-facing or North-facing

Exposure Sheltered

Soil

Loam

Sand

MoistureMoist but well-drained

SoilLoam, Sand

pHAcid, Neutral

Size

Ultimate height
0.5-1 metres

Ultimate spread
1-1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height
2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation
Grow indoors or under glass in a multipurpose compost or a mix of 1 part loam, 2 parts sharp sand, and 3 parts leaf mould in bright filtered light, with moderate to high humidity and good ventilation. During the growing season, water moderately soft water and apply a half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser monthly. Water sparingly in winter. Fronds can rot if they become too wet

Propagation
Propagate by spores, sow spores at 21°C (70°F) as soon as ripe. Separate rooted runners in late winter or early spring